Issue playing as a single

[Matt J]

Not to encourage too much thread drift, but I noticed that Pebble Beach and Bandon will actually hold you on the first tee until your exact tee time. In essence they are making a statement that fast play can be poor etiquette too. Just yesterday it was obvious we were going to get caught by a smaller group, and everyone in our group turned and watched them give putts within 5 or 6 feet two greens back. Not a big deal as it wasn't crowded but going out on a crowded course as a single or twosome and intentionally playing fast and standing with your hands on your hips is equally as rude as playing slower than a 4.5 hour pace.

 

OP, this would have bothered me, too. I don't like getting sandwiched between two foursomes as a single. They should have paged you on the range or putting green and at least offered you to go off first. If he checked the tee sheet and saw the next group was a 3 no harm no foul, but to let your group go with no plan is lame.

[bladehunter]

What if the 3 guys did the opposite and decided to go 20-30 minutes later. Is the single "part of their group" and now the single has to go later too or is it ok for him to ditch the other 3 and go at the original time?

 

How do you decide to go later ? As in course is backed up ? If then yes. You can't just decide to go later unless another time is open. If so then the single gets to go out alone i guess or wait for the new time.

They choose to move back to a later tee time. (one that is open for those who need the obvious stated for them)

 

Well I would say the single still has a tee time or the choice to wait and go with them.

 

The real question is. What's wrong with a 3 some that would work that hard to avoid a single?

Who said they are avoiding the single? No one knows why they did what they did. I find it funny it was said that the single was a part of their group when they wanted to go early but if they want to go late the single suddenly is no longer part of their group. Can't have it both ways.

 

Not part of their group. Part of that tee time. You’re missing the point. The assumption is that the course is ahead of schedule. So the tee time moves up 10 min. It doesn’t create a new time. Everyone would move up if it stayed on pace. You cannot have that 3 some go early and then the course stay ahead of schedule. Because you now have a single with no tee time. The 3 some didn’t leave early. They bumped up there tee time. And left out the 4th who had the same time.

 

If they move back to ANOTHER tee time then the single can keep his original tee time or move back to the new one. That opens up the choice. He wasn’t given a choice when you move the original tee time up.

 

You’re assuming that there’s a magic spot that was open and they created a new tee time and left. Not true.

[bladehunter]

If I read the op correctly, the starter messed up, but they got him in a group very close to his tee time. It seems it worked out.

 

Yes, it worked out.

 

But by shear luck. Not from proper management or etiquette.

[OffTheDole]

Not a big deal as it wasn't crowded but going out on a crowded course as a single or twosome and intentionally playing fast and standing with your hands on your hips is equally as rude as playing slower than a 4.5 hour pace.

 

Amen, brother.

[Atrayn]

As primarily a single player of public courses, I enjoy meeting up with new folks, however my biggest pet peeve is a twosome who does not want to pair up. It's a public course and I paid for the tee time. Instead of arguing about it, I just let them tee off. Then I get stuck behind them and they wouldn't let me play through. I stood in the fairway on every hole while they took their sweet time. Finally I just gave up and played two balls off every tee on the back 9....

 

I did figure out though, that my 2nd guy should be on tour....just need to figure out how to bench the 1st guy....

[LeoLeo99]

As primarily a single player of public courses, I enjoy meeting up with new folks, however my biggest pet peeve is a twosome who does not want to pair up. It's a public course and I paid for the tee time. Instead of arguing about it, I just let them tee off. Then I get stuck behind them and they wouldn't let me play through. I stood in the fairway on every hole while they took their sweet time. Finally I just gave up and played two balls off every tee on the back 9....

 

I did figure out though, that my 2nd guy should be on tour....just need to figure out how to bench the 1st guy....

 

That second guy is really good.

[scottygolfer3]

im not really answering your question here, but i dont mind playing alone. I actually prefer it

if i get the cart to myself, i can set up my laptop in the passenger seat and get work done while Im waiting

Time is money, for me, it literally is. I bill by the minute

[Noles]

Not part of their group. Part of that tee time. You're missing the point. The assumption is that the course is ahead of schedule. So the tee time moves up 10 min. It doesn't create a new time. Everyone would move up if it stayed on pace. You cannot have that 3 some go early and then the course stay ahead of schedule. Because you now have a single with no tee time. The 3 some didn't leave early. They bumped up there tee time. And left out the 4th who had the same time.

 

If they move back to ANOTHER tee time then the single can keep his original tee time or move back to the new one. That opens up the choice. He wasn't given a choice when you move the original tee time up.

 

You're assuming that there's a magic spot that was open and they created a new tee time and left. Not true.

Are you still talking about the actual scenario that the OP had posed? I already agreed that the starter messed that up. The discussion I then got into was about in general whether threesomes (or 2's for that matter) had the right to move up on the tee sheet without a person or people that were added to their original tee time.

[bladehunter]

How would they move in a full tee sheet ?

 

I assumed that was you trying to end around the subject and say that if a 3 some could move back their tee time without the single then they could also move it up without the single.

 

Neither can happen or both could happen. It would be up to the available tee times and the club. But if it’s busy and the club is smart they are going to insist the 3 some take a single either way if one is wanting to play.

[Noles]

How would they move in a full tee sheet ?

Are you really asking that question? Is it not obvious that if I talk about moving to a different tee time, that there is an open tee time to move to?

[bladehunter]

So I’m not sure what to say. Weve changed the subject completely from the OPs issue to what ?

[Stanks]

Sounds like the starter was a jack-wagon. Don't you worry your pretty little head, OP. Some people just ain't worth it.

[LeoLeo99]

Sounds like the starter was a jack-wagon. Don't you worry your pretty little head, OP. Some people just ain't worth it.

 

My head's not that pretty, But thanks!

[Atrayn]

How would they move in a full tee sheet ?

 

I assumed that was you trying to end around the subject and say that if a 3 some could move back their tee time without the single then they could also move it up without the single.

 

Neither can happen or both could happen. It would be up to the available tee times and the club. But if it's busy and the club is smart they are going to insist the 3 some take a single either way if one is wanting to play.

 

How do they move in a packed tee sheet? It's called trying to jam in as many paying customers a course can due to the downturn in the economy...

Ran into this scenario more often than I ever expected....especially in peak season in AZ.

[bladehunter]

How would they move in a full tee sheet ?

 

I assumed that was you trying to end around the subject and say that if a 3 some could move back their tee time without the single then they could also move it up without the single.

 

Neither can happen or both could happen. It would be up to the available tee times and the club. But if it's busy and the club is smart they are going to insist the 3 some take a single either way if one is wanting to play.

 

How do they move in a packed tee sheet? It's called trying to jam in as many paying customers a course can due to the downturn in the economy...

Ran into this scenario more often than I ever expected....especially in peak season in AZ.

 

I don’t think adding a single to a 3 some qualifies.

 

 

I get what you mean. But they aren’t taking guys out of the parking lot and putting them between the 10.29 and the 1036. You’d have a fist fight as the 1036 would be on the tee waiting .

[OffTheDole]

Following the evolution of this discussion, a couple of questions came to mind:

• If I booked the tee time first as a single (via GolfNow or at the course) and an additional three golfers book after me and are added to that time, who owns that tee time?
  
• If the people who booked afterwards and suddenly don't want to be bothered to play with someone they don't know, shouldn't the single be sent out first?
  

[snoilr1]

If I were part of a threesome, the proshop told me we were booked with a single, and the starter offered to let the three of us go early, I would mention to the starter that the proshop said we were paired with a single. Then I’d follow their instructions.

 

I wouldn’t try to talk my way into ditching the fourth, or let the starter make a mistake without saying anything, but I would assume the course had a plan for them if they offered to let me go early, and knew a person was missing.

[golfandfishing]

Following the evolution of this discussion, a couple of questions came to mind:

• If I booked the tee time first as a single (via GolfNow or at the course) and an additional three golfers book after me and are added to that time, who owns that tee time?
  
• If the people who booked afterwards and suddenly don't want to be bothered to play with someone they don't know, shouldn't the single be sent out first?
  

 

The golf course owns the tee time. None of the players own it.

 

Yes, the single should be ahead of the 3 if the course has the space to allow that group to be split up.

[QEight]

Not to encourage too much thread drift, but I noticed that Pebble Beach and Bandon will actually hold you on the first tee until your exact tee time. In essence they are making a statement that fast play can be poor etiquette too. Just yesterday it was obvious we were going to get caught by a smaller group, and everyone in our group turned and watched them give putts within 5 or 6 feet two greens back. Not a big deal as it wasn't crowded but going out on a crowded course as a single or twosome and intentionally playing fast and standing with your hands on your hips is equally as rude as playing slower than a 4.5 hour pace.

 

OP, this would have bothered me, too. I don't like getting sandwiched between two foursomes as a single. They should have paged you on the range or putting green and at least offered you to go off first. If he checked the tee sheet and saw the next group was a 3 no harm no foul, but to let your group go with no plan is lame.

 

Teeing off early has nothing to do with playing fast. Or did I miss something?

[Golfer4Life]

After reading some of the responses, I’m embracing the idea of playing by myself more often, lol.....

[Carl Spackler3]

As soon as I pay I also check w starter before I go to range of p green

[MtlJeff]

After reading some of the responses, I’m embracing the idea of playing by myself more often, lol.....

 

If you want to play alone, just sign up to play with a threesome and show up on time. They should be gone by then

 

 

[Oh Hi Carl]

Starter screwed up and should've just taken responsibility, especially at a resort course where you expect to be treated better than that.

[golfortennis]

So here's where you know the starter was full of it: why was there no mention of the fact the "foursome" booked behind had a no show but that wasn't an issue? He sent the other guys "because singles no show", but a no show from a foursome magically makes it all better?

 

I'm with bladehunter and MTLJeff, this is completely horribly customer service.

 

And to the person who said maybe they had flights to catch, isn't that a reason to *book an earlier tee time*? I don't have any sympathy if that scenario were the case. "Poor planning on your part not constituting an emergency on mine" and all. These guys were somewhere between oblivious and a-holes, and the starter was a jackwagon.

 

It really comes back to if you have less than four guys, but don't want anyone joining, pay for the other spot. Then do what you want. But you don't get to say "we don't want another paying customer with us", because it's not your call to make.

[bigred90gt]

If I have a 3some and I know they’ve paired a single with me, if the starter says we can go I’ll ask about the single first. If at that point they tell me he is paired with someone else, we’ll go, but I won’t just bounce without making sure. I’ve been the single waiting by the starter for a group far too many times. The pro shop and starter at that course need a retraining effort by management.

 

There has been times where no one has told us (pro shop or starter) that they paired a single with us until he pulled up and got out of his cart while we were on the tee box. I’m not defending the threesome, but they could very well have not even known a single was paired with them, and when given the opportunity to go, they went. Again, that fault lies on the starter and the pro shop for not telling them.

 

If they knew and just bounced, you’re probably better off not making their company for the day.

[OffTheDole]

It really comes back to if you have less than four guys, but don't want anyone joining, pay for the other spot. Then do what you want. But you don't get to say "we don't want another paying customer with us", because it's not your call to make.

 

Amen.

[byrne092]

Hard to throw any blame on the threesome without knowing the situation. Sounds like mismanagement of the pro shop and starter.

[augustgolf]

Following the evolution of this discussion, a couple of questions came to mind:

• If I booked the tee time first as a single (via GolfNow or at the course) and an additional three golfers book after me and are added to that time, who owns that tee time?
  
• If the people who booked afterwards and suddenly don't want to be bothered to play with someone they don't know, shouldn't the single be sent out first?
  

 

The golf course owns the tee time. None of the players own it.

 

Yes, the single should be ahead of the 3 if the course has the space to allow that group to be split up.

And what happens 9 times out of 10 is that either the 3-some gets another player & shows up....the single rounds up a 4-some & just shows up...or maybe even both.

 

Yes, the course owns the time but when GN gets involved, problems tend to arise. Best to book directly thru the course to avoid possible problems

[Brock Landers]

I play alone a lot, my golf friends have much busier lives than I. The problem is I don't like playing alone, so I book tee times when the course is busiest. There are always problems with the starter, I play inexpensive pubic courses. Mostly because most all groups don't seem to like to play with a stranger, I assume it's because they're embarrassed of their game. Last time the starter asked the group I was booked with and they said they didn't want to play with a single, so he put me off by myself on a crowded course, I must have passed four groups of very nice understanding people, you don't always get nice people. But that ruined my day from the second hole.

[Augster]

I play alone a lot, my golf friends have much busier lives than I. The problem is I don't like playing alone, so I book tee times when the course is busiest. There are always problems with the starter, I play inexpensive pubic courses. Mostly because most all groups don't seem to like to play with a stranger, I assume it's because they're embarrassed of their game. Last time the starter asked the group I was booked with and they said they didn't want to play with a single, so he put me off by myself on a crowded course, I must have passed four groups of very nice understanding people, you don't always get nice people. But that ruined my day from the second hole.

 

This. It’s shocking to me how many people that I know that absolutely will not play with a guy added to the group.

 

If we are a 2-some, 3-some, or 4-some and there is a single waiting to play, they absolutely will not play with him/her. I’ve had a starter add a single to our group on a busy course, and one of my friends just left. So we went out as a 3-some anyway.

 

I absolutely don’t get the mindset at all. To be scared to show someone your game? Pathetic. We all suck. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be playing munis on weekends. They have tournaments on weekends for good golfers.

 

That mindset you describe is definitely out there. I can think of at least 15 people I know, and play with often, that will do anything they can not to let a “stranger” join the group. Ever.

 

Sad, really.